Will be interesting to hear the convos between VAR/Oliver.

Oliver must have known that EF was interfering irrespective of whether he touched the ball (no idea how these guys think you are only interfering if you touch the ball) If that was the reason given then IMO Oliver should have the ability to overrule them and make the final call.

all this "being sent to the screen" by the VAR bods is fine however have always felt that maybe the ref should be able to request to take a look at VAR himself as in Rugby if he is ever in the situation that he thinks will help him.

Just think that any final decision on whether a player is interfering should be taken by the actual Match day ref.

VAR relay to Oliver that Harland is onside, therefore only question is was Enzo interfering, Oliver then makes his decision on what he has already seen or has the option of asking to see a replay via the screen.

4 hours ago, All Barco no bite said:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/14/arsenal-pro-ref-sunderland-penalty-meeting-explanation

The audacity after they were handed the title and the terrorism they got away with against us.

100% being done so that refs are scared to give decisions against them in the future.

2 hours ago, Blue Ram said:

Will be interesting to hear the convos between VAR/Oliver.

Oliver must have known that EF was interfering irrespective of whether he touched the ball (no idea how these guys think you are only interfering if you touch the ball) If that was the reason given then IMO Oliver should have the ability to overrule them and make the final call.

all this "being sent to the screen" by the VAR bods is fine however have always felt that maybe the ref should be able to request to take a look at VAR himself as in Rugby if he is ever in the situation that he thinks will help him.

Just think that any final decision on whether a player is interfering should be taken by the actual Match day ref.

VAR relay to Oliver that Harland is onside, therefore only question is was Enzo interfering, Oliver then makes his decision on what he has already seen or has the option of asking to see a replay via the screen.

Totally agree on both points.

I really dislike Michael Oliver's style of officiating; he's way too card-happy for me.

Regarding Foden's red, they (both the ref and VAR) must have missed the initial kick, because for me it was about the same as the retaliation. A good referee would've given both players a yellow and moved on. But Michael, considering how he sees football, should at least have shown both players a red card.

Someone called the initial kick "petulant", which is what I'd call the retaliation too. Bruno is a cheat, so he knows how to make these things count, but you don't kick a player when he's down with the ball nowhere near it.

26 minutes ago, acaeus said:

I really dislike Michael Oliver's style of officiating; he's way too card-happy for me.

Regarding Foden's red, they (both the ref and VAR) must have missed the initial kick, because for me it was about the same as the retaliation. A good referee would've given both players a yellow and moved on. But Michael, considering how he sees football, should at least have shown both players a red card.

Someone called the initial kick "petulant", which is what I'd call the retaliation too. Bruno is a cheat, so he knows how to make these things count, but you don't kick a player when he's down with the ball nowhere near it.

It's alright, Foden will be a vodka millionaire within a few years:

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/eden-hazard-chelsea-ballboy-millionaire-36674140

(Definitely a red by the way, you can't stud somebody in the stomach/crotch and it not be violent conduct)

57 minutes ago, PloKoon13 said:

It's alright, Foden will be a vodka millionaire within a few years:

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/eden-hazard-chelsea-ballboy-millionaire-36674140

(Definitely a red by the way, you can't stud somebody in the stomach/crotch and it not be violent conduct)

lol I think he's covered already.

Heh players get kicked — semi-intentionally all the time in competitive football. Still, while not my take, it's fine as long as the same criteria are applied to both players.

Honestly, for me Bruno's kick was absolutely intentional aggression—Foden gets kicked in the back/waist while he's on the ground—which actually initiated the whole thing. From the chatter, it seems they all missed the initial kick though.

Either way, I cannot really think much about the offside decision given 👆. City played with 10-men for 70min+.

We seem to be having the same debates we’ve always had as football fans when it comes to decisions, VAR for me has changed none of that which was what it was brought in to do.

If anything letting them watch it over and over again is even more galling for the team on the wrong end where as if it’s done in real time you used to except the ref didn’t see it.

All VAR has done is take some of the spontaneous enjoyment out of the moment, especially the main moment.. scoring goals and celebrating them.

f**king hate VAR never wanted it don’t want it now.

I'm so glad many more people are coming around.

VAR, DRS, The Bunker... whatever you dress it up as, video refereeing is a disaster for sport